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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: charge · bore · mark · wake · fine · dip · content · rule

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. content — happy
  4. charge — in control
  5. mark — a trace
  6. fine — high quality
  7. dip — to sink
  8. bore — to drill
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. rule — government
  12. fine — all right
  13. bore — to tire
  14. charge — electricity
  15. charge — a price
  16. rule — a law
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. mark — a grade
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. wake — a trail
  24. content — the amount

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com